Acheik
Acheik(အချိတ်;[ʔət͡ɕʰeɪʔ]) orluntaya acheik(လွန်းတစ်ရာအချိတ်;lit. 'hundred shuttleacheik'), is the name of the indigenous Burmese textile pattern. It features intricate waves interwoven with bands of horizontal stripes, embellished witharabesquedesigns.Luntaya(လွန်းတစ်ရာ;[lʊ́ɴtəjà]), which literally means a "hundred shuttles," refers to the time-consuming, expensive, and complex process of weaving this pattern, which requires using 50 to 200 individual shuttles, each wound with a different color of silk.[1][2]The weaving is labor-intensive, requiring at least two weavers to manipulate the shuttles to achieve the interwoven wave-like patterns.[3]
Acheikis most commonly used as a textile for malepasoor femalehtamein.The color palettes used inacheikincorporate a bold array of contrasting shades in a similar color range to create a shimmeringtrompe-l'œileffect.[3]Designs for men feature simpler zig-zag, cable and interlocking lappet motifs, while those for women interweave undulating waves with arabesque embellishments such as floral motifs or creepers.[3]
Production[edit]
The towns of Amarapura andWundwinremain major domestic centers of traditionalacheikweaving, although in recent years, cheaper factory-produced imitations fromChinaandIndiahave significantly disrupted Myanmar's traditionalcottage industry.[4]
Origins[edit]
Acheikweaving originates inAmarapura,near thePahtodawgyipagoda.[5]The nameacheikmay derive from the name of the quarter in which the weavers lived,LetcheikRow (လက်ချိတ်တန်း); the term itself was previously calledwaik(ဝိုက်), referring to the woven zig-zag pattern.[5]
While some sources claim that theacheikpattern was introduced by Manipuri weavers during the late 1700s, there are no comparable Manipuri textiles that resembleacheik.[3]The wave-like patterns may have in fact been inspired by Neolithic motifs and natural phenomena (i.e., waves, clouds, indigenous flora and fauna).[5]Acheik-type designs are found on pottery dating back to thePyu city states(400s-900s CE), as well as in temple wall paintings dating back to theBagan Kingdomera (1000s-1200s CE).[3]Tributary gifts bestowed to the Burmese royal court may also have provided an additional source of inspiration.[5]The textile became popular during theKonbaung dynasty,during whichsumptuary lawsregulated who could wearacheikclothing.[6]Theacheikpattern was exclusively worn by members of the royal court, officials, and their entourages.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Green, Gillian (2012-05-25). "Verging on Modernity: A Late Nineteenth-Century Burmese Painting on Cloth Depicting the Vessantara Jataka".Journal of Burma Studies.16(1): 79–121.doi:10.1353/jbs.2012.0000.ISSN2010-314X.S2CID162846149.
- ^"Silk acheik-luntaya | V&A Search the Collections".collections.vam.ac.uk.Retrieved2017-12-05.
- ^abcdeGreen, Alexandra (2008).Eclectic Collecting: Art from Burma in the Denison Museum.NUS Press.ISBN978-9971-69-404-3.
- ^Lynn, Kyaw Ye (26 January 2019)."Weavers of traditional textiles in Mandalay unite".Frontier Myanmar.Retrieved2020-03-28.
- ^abcdeHardiman, John Percy (1901).Silk in Burma.superintendent, Government printing, Burma.
- ^"The Tradition of Acheik Weaving in Myanmar – ICHCAP".Retrieved2020-03-28.
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